And just so you know we are thinking of you all:

Wrote all your names on this Sky lantern and sent it off from the end of the pontoon to a ripple of applause from an unseen Portugese audience :O) It went way out into the Atlantic, we watched it until it looked like a star.

Blue Moon Viana Do Castelo

This is the view to Port tonight...

And this the one to Starboard - both taken within a minute of the other! Happy Blue moon wherever you are  :O)
 

Lerryn Lady at Pontoon Viana Do Castelo

Waiting patiently on the pontoon whilst we gaddabout town.

Santa Lucia Prime Real Estate above Viana Do Castelo

 

Santa Lucia window from outside and in.

Viana do Castelo - Portugal

 Overlooking Viana Do Castelo town and the coast southerly

Ditto above, we walked back to town down through the Eucalypt forest.

Leaving Baiona

 Smoke on the water

Good Morning dolphin

Baiona America Connection

Baiona was the first place in Europe to hear the news about the discovery of America. On March, 1st in 1493 Caravel La Pinta arrived in Baiona commanded by Martín Alonso Pinzón. This caravel was part of first Columbus' voyage to America. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinta_(ship)
and http://www.thenina.com/

Plastico!

A gift from the sea to our propellor en route from Portosin to Baiona - tightly wrapped round prop and spotted by Marienero as we backed into our mooring. Greg got it off with the boat hook - this could have been a BIG problem so thank you lucky stars!

Baiona

Baiona - whisper it very softly - it sounds like a Mantra :O)

Last evening in Portosin

Tonight's view from our mooring in Portosin, a small, genuine, Galacian fishing village in the Bay of Muros. It also boasts an International Water Sports Club in addition to the old fishing harbour so lots of interesting vessels all around us. Folk are very friendly and helpful here. Tomorrow at first light we head for Bayona, about 45 miles sailing south... Noches!

Greg & Mark con brandies in the afternoon

Compostela - a bar on the Rua de Franco - toasting a passage very well done and now over for Mark. Mark you are a *STAR* we miss you already!  How fitting to end this trip together in the 'Field of Stars' Santiago De Compostela. Salut Mark! Remember you're a Womble :O) and remember the Bosphorus...

To Santiago De Compostela

El Camino de Santiago! The scallop shells are everywhere in Compostela: draped round the necks of Pilgrims, their staffs, their children, their dogs, tees shirts, sandals and rosaries. Apparently the shell has both mythical and metaphorical meaning though it appears to be more of a souvenir offered to people traipsing through the streets. The story goes: St James' body was shipped from Jerusalem to Galicia, lost off the coast in a storm, then washed up weeks later, undamaged and covered in scallop shells. Metaphorically the grooves of the shell all come together at one point, representing the various routes pilgrims travel to arrive at the same point ( Compostela). I guess the scallop shell would work equally well for many bars around the World. There are guided tours of the Cathedral roofs in Compostela but as there are Meigas ( witches) flying all over town better safe than sorry ;O)

Arrived Portosin marina

Wednesday evening arrived Portosin Marina as the sunset. We had been in near gale conditions for more than twelve hours followed by 17 to 20 knots plus after that with no let up as we steamed up the bay to Portosin Marina.  Headed straight for the showers then the clubhouse for grilled fish, langoustines, salads and beer! ,,

The Biscay Awaits:

This is the view from our cockpit in Brest. In ten hours we start out for Portosin, a three day sail, do not expect a Post until we arrive :O) You can click on the Marine Traffic link above to follow our progress across the Biscay. In the meantime - Hasta Tuesday/Wednesday!

YAY, Bruno fixed the derailier:

Best news this afternoon, Bruno's man re-jigged the derailier. As you see it now has four chain guides and an extra turn in the spring - it should be bomb proof for Biscay and beyond. For all you engineeringphobes, the thingy above is now as tough as a brick s***house and we're off to Spain tomorrow OLE!

As Nelson said:

Ports rot ships and Ports rot men ( or something like that). Here's a photo of the German Sail training ship, it's a small Brigantine. There are 12 kids onboard - all seasick  - and cowering for the most part after being caught in the brewing storm, hope it hasn't put them off for life. Here we are helping to lash tyres to the side of her. All the fenders burst with the swell and are now kaput. We recorded winds up to 49 knots (54mph) Force 9 in the harbour today - never knawed a night like it :O)

Falmouth to Brest

Hello Me Hearties!
This is the sunrise that greeted us as we set off from Falmouth last week - good omen we thought as we set sail for Portosin NW Spain. Ten hours later we were on the edge of the Biscay in 20 knot winds making good headway. A pod of porpoise came along for awhile looking like torpedoes in the night sea, shooting stars fireworked across the firmament  and the moon rose on the horizon behind us. What more could a person want? Then, one surf and one slam too many and the derailier jumped out of its runner,  the auto helm gave up the ghost. Options: Return to Falmouth; Keep on course hand steering all the way to Spain or head east to Brest harbour to repair or replace auto helm. Here we are in Brest waiting for Bruno to re-jig the derailier for us. He's promised to get it back to us this week as he 'knows just zee man'. Meanwhile the wine stock is replenished, the fridge full of stinky cheese. Good ships tucker for the next leg, Brest to Portosin, which we hope to start this Saturday. Currently tied to a bouncing pontoon in Brest harbour with wind screaming in at 45knots. I keep touching Lerryn Lady's teak whispering : 'Hold on Lerryn Lady, hold tight'. She has a big heart, we are safe! A German sail training boat came in this morning looking for shelter with twelve scared kids huddled together on deck. Within hours all her fenders were wrecked and several tyres have now been lashed alongside her. This wind is set until 6pm tonight. I am thinking the German parents might as well have flown the children to Alton Towers for a ride on Nemesis - possibly not so character building though. :O)

Fish Hooks!

Guess who nearly sat on this last night :O)